health

The
World Health Organization (WHO) described it in 1948 as: “A state of complete
physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease
or infirmity.” In 1984, a WHO health promotion initiative led to expansion of
the original WHO description, which can be abbreviated to: “The extent to which
an individual or a group is able to realize aspirations and satisfy needs, and
to change or cope with the environment. Health is a resource for everyday life,
not the objective of living; it is a positive concept, emphasizing social and
personal resources as well as physical capabilities."